“This is crazy stuff.”
A new law requiring restaurants and pubs serving food to keep a record of all individual food orders for 28 days has caused controversy in the hospitality sector.
The Vintners’ Federation of Ireland, which represents rural pubs, has described the temporary restriction introduced by the Government as “bureaucracy gone mad” and it will put further pressure on already struggling businesses.
The new rules mean that food premises must keep a record of what food item each customer ordered and store that information for 28 days.
It also places responsibility on pubs that serve food, as well as restaurants and cafes to ensure that no more than six people from a maximum of three households are at the same table.
“This is crazy stuff,” Padraig Cribben, VFI Chief Executive, said.
“The idea that a pub must record all food ordered by each customer and then store it for 28 days is bureaucracy gone mad. Not only is it too impractical for our members to implement but why does the Government think this law will help in the fight against Covid? It’s madness.
“We’re all for making customers feel safe in our pubs but this new measure only increases pressure on staff already coping with a host of new safety measures.
“This is part of a Statutory Instrument introduced by the Minister for Health Simon Donnelly without any consultation with the hospitality sector.
“It is obvious that both the Minister and his department have little understanding of the practical implications of this new law.”
Meanwhile, the Licensed Vintners’ Association (LVA), which represents pubs in the Dublin area, called the measures a “complete overreach.”
“This is ridiculous,” the LVA wrote online.
“Think of the admin burden this is going to create. How is it going to help protect public health knowing what topping was on a customer’s pizza or what way their potatoes were cooked?”
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